Visiting Luxor – Day One
Hi again.
Following on from yesterday I’d like to tell you more about our latest visit to Egypt just over 15 days ago.
This time we flew from London Heathrow to Luxor on Egyptair’s scheduled flight and arrived at Luxor Airport about 8.00pm. After a short transfer we arrived at the hotel we would be based at for the next 2 nights, the Maritim Jolie Ville.
The Maritim Jolie Ville is located on Kings Island, an island situated in the Nile itself. It’s a Swiss-owned hotel and accommodation is in attractive bungalows located throughout the hotel’s extensive grounds. Our own accommodation was very spacious and quite luxurious and was about 5 minutes walk from the reception and the main restaurant.
With gardens that reach right to the edge of the Nile the hotel is uniquely placed and would provide a great base for those people seeking a really laid-back week in the sun. It has possibly the best equipped gym that I’ve ever seen in a hotel. The equipment, of which there was lots, was truly state-of-the-art and I personally could easily spend a few hours in a gym as well equipped as the Maritim’s. As well as the gym there is a superb spa and wellness area too and I know Barbara would have loved to have been able to book some of the many spa treatments that were on offer.
The gym facilities are totally free to guests but the various spa treatments would have to be paid for.
If you had taken a Nile cruise the week before, then a second week at the Maritim Jolie Ville would be a great choice of a hotel where you could totally chill out.Although the hotel is just outside Luxor it is easy to either take a taxi or the hotel’s mini-bus to get into Luxor to take advantage of all that’s to offer in the “world’s largest outdoor museum” as the city is called.
The morning after our arrival in Luxor we took the opportunity to visit the Valley of The Kings. Although we have visited on several occasions in the past it is still a thrill to see the numerous tombs of the Pharaoh’s including that of there “Boy King”, Tutankhamun.
The last time we visited the Valley of The Kings we could actually enter the burial chamber of Tutankhamun however on this occasion that wasn’t the case and the tomb was closed to visitors for some reason. It was also forbidden to take cameras into the Valley at the moment even though we had done so on more than one occasion in the past. I’m assuming that this will change and you will be able to do so in the near future. I know that many people who take a Nile cruise holiday would love to return with photos taken at this iconic location.
Tomorrow I’ll tell you more about our time in Luxor.
